Kneaders Help Needy


Pretzel Sale expresses faith through food, fun, fellowship, and learning BY KATHY SCHMIED


The Tween Church School class, teachers, parents, and pretzel-making captains joined forces with fellow dough makers on Sunday, February 12, to shine their light in the annual Tween Mission Project: Pretzel Sale.


In the midst of flying dough, rolled and twisted pretzels, and fired-up ovens, a mix of children, parents, volunteers, and members of the congregation gathered in the Atrium and Commons in fellowship as they eagerly waited for the hot pretzels to appear. As usual, pretzels were gobbled up faster than the ovens could spew them out. Requests for salted and plain pretzels were delivered to the kitchen, where teams of Tween Church School students, teachers, and parents were assembling the delectable treats.


Tis year the Tween Church School classes engaged in a progression of short lessons preparing the way for living God’s love out into the community and the world. Tweens have been supporting World Vision Outreach—specifically Francis, an 11-year-old boy from Malawi—for several years, as well as other organizations.


Tis year, in addition to Francis, Tweens selected Community Bike Works Allentown, a youth development and work ethics program geared toward inner-city children living in at-risk situations, to receive proceeds from the sales.


Tweens created attractive posters to advertise the Pretzel Sale and the organizations chosen to receive proceeds, which this year totaled $784. Of that, $468 goes to Francis to support him for one year and $316 goes to Community Bike Works Allentown.


Tweens also learned the history behind the use of pretzels in the religious life of monks and students 1,400 years ago. Te pretzel was named “little arms” in Italian and signified the stance in prayer of arms crossed on the chest. Te three holes in the pretzel also represent the Holy Trinity. Te pretzels were given to students as a reward for saying their prayers. Because they were made of a simple mixture of water, flour, and salt, pretzels were also an ideal food to consume during Lent, when all types of meat, dairy, and eggs were prohibited. FPCA tweens received prayer tents to remind them to give thanks and pray while they enjoyed a pretzel snack in class.


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Above: FPCA youth add an egg wash and salt to pretzels in a final step before baking. Selling pretzels raised $784 toward support for a child in Malawi and Community Bike Works Allentown.


Left: Katie and Austin Trevino made the winning $41 bid to take home a giant pretzel that baked all morning as bidding began at $1 and notched upward through the close at 11:45 a.m.


Finally, Rich Newbegin of “Rich and Mary Pretzel-Preparing Professionals Inc.” came to Tween Church School the Sunday before the sale to fire up the troops to participate in a fun service-related project. Students were reminded that in being a part of this project, they can make a difference by being disciples of Jesus Christ, living out God’s love into the World and their own community, and building relationships with their church family.


We hope you were able to get a delicious hot pretzel and see the colossal pretzel available for silent auction this year. Next year... more dough!


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